Intensive glucose control does not add any significant benefit,
There was recently a study which had to be halted because some of diabetics participating in it were dying. It turns out that tight control may not be the best thing for diabetics. See: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080206105440.htm.
Things were basically ok for me until menopause. Since then, I have been battling. I did the low carb thing for almost a year. I thought I was going to go crazy with the restrictions and after 9 months or so, I wasn’t seeing the benefits that I had at first. On top of that, I ended up taking all kinds of other meds for my ‘protection.’
I’ve been doing low fat vegan for almost a year now and am very pleased. No cholesterol meds, no BP meds. My endo took me off of insulin while keeping the metformin. Based on the negative experiences (like death) of some diabetic family and friends this past year, I decided to forgo the metformin w/its liver issues, and stay w/the insulin as needed. At one point a few years ago I was taking 190 units a day. Now I take about 10 units, and don’t have to do that everyday. I also take Byetta, which is a hormone, not insulin, and seems to help me quite a bit. I’m hoping that in another 6 months or so, I will have lost enough weight where I won’t have to take that, either. Oh yeah, no matter what I did previously, I didn’t lose weight. After going vegan, I’m losing weight easily.
This is such an individual disease. I don’t knock Atkins, tho I do think you have to watch your fats. Dr. Bernstein has a similar carb-restricted program that isn’t so fat loaded.
So many of the diabetic treatments seem to do harm - either the meds make you fat or cause liver damage or cause heart attacks. It’s hard for people to make dietary changes, whether it’s vegan or Atkins, but in the end, it seems so much better to care for diabetes w/food choices than meds. Just my 2 cents.
Thank you for taking the time to put that together.
I am new to this diabetic junk. I have already had heart surgery and a stroke (MRSA and a few other things) during the surgery.
A few months ago I learn that I am type 2. My BG was at 400. It’s now down to around 100 =or- at fasting. I do feel better and thanks to my new dog, I have lost over 30 pounds. My feet are still troublesome, but they have also improved.
I have, for the most part, managed to stay within the diet guidance that the diabetic nurses taught during a several week class. I will look at what you have mentioned and discuss it with my doctor. It would be very tough for me to give up meat though.... I am not sure it would even be possible. I recently turned 60, so it seems that there won’t be all that many more years to even worry about this.
Again, thank you.